My friendship with Gerry & Pat

Happy 50^th Gerry & Pat.  We go back a long way.

In either December of 1958 or Feb. of 1959 I was coming home from Mizzouri for the holidays or spring break and Gerry hitched a ride with me to Chicago to see a relative or friend. We were Sigma Nu’s and that’s how we met. When I called about picking him up to return to school he announced he was staying in Chicago. That’s how it started. During the ensuing summers when I was home Gerry was in Rodgers Park and we would do Old Town and Rush Street. Gerry even got me a job at Household Finance the 1^st summer. In the meantime Pat entered the picture and they got married 6/23/62. I was in the army at Ft. Sill, Okla.  Upon discharge Susie Mars & I married in September and we set up shop in Rodgers Park in 1963 where the Taylor’s were..  Through those years  we partied, played lots of bridge, and Gerry & I were instrumental in starting the annual Rodgers Park Open golf tournament. Both couples had our kids and we visited the Taylor’s in Peoria, South Bend, and New Jersey. We did a trip to South Haven with our kids and I remember the Notre Dame – Georgia Tech game in South Bend. I think the Irish pulled it out 10-7.  When G & P were expatriates to the North we missed them and Susie & I moved to California. We separated in the early 80’s blowing my chance of every having my kids throw me a 50^th party. My wife Pamela  (whom the Taylor’s readily took to as a friend ) and I have been married 26 years so our party would be in 2036 when we would be 97 & 96.  The Taylor’s moved to California and occasionally we would see each other. We have visited Lincoln and they have come to Lompoc and we hope the future holds more trips for our friendship. And Thank you Gerry & Pat for the wonderful friendship you had with my parents , Irv & Louise.

It’s an honor to have had both of you as friends all these years.

Bob Hamilton